Leucochrysa (Nodita) clepsydra Banks

Tauber, Catherine A., Albuquerque, Gilberto S. & Tauber, Maurice J., 2008, A new species of Leucochrysa and a redescription of Leucochrysa (Nodita) clepsydra Banks (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), Zootaxa 1781, pp. 1-19 : 3-10

Leucochrysa (Nodita) clepsydra Banks

( Figs. 1–5 ; additional images: http://morphobank.geongrid.org/permalink/?F15)

Leucochrysa clepsydra Banks 1918: 14 [description].

Nodita clepsydra . Banks 1944: 20 [species listing, combination]; Penny 1977: 25 [species listing].

Leucochrysa (Nodita) clepsydra . Brooks and Barnard 1990: 277 [species listing]; Freitas and Penny 2001: 288, 359.

Type Material.— Lectotype. Male; abdomen cleared. Labels as follows—(1): “Inmbo, Cauca, Colombia, So. Am. 1,000 m., Jan”; (2): “Collection N. Banks”; (3) (red): “ Type 10062 2 ”; (4): “Gen. prep. P. Adams ’90”; (5): “ Lectotype, Leucochrysa clepsydra Banks , desig. C. A. Tauber & G. S. Albuquerque, 2008 ” (red).

Paralectotypes (two females, one male) are also designated; each bears labels with the following data: (1): “Caldras, Colombia, 4,400 ft.”; (2): “May”. (3): “ Type 10062 1, 3, or 4”; Lowest: “ Paralectotype, Leucochrysa clepsydra Banks , desig. Tauber & Albuquerque, 2008 ”. “ Type 1” (a mature female) bears a fourth label, “ type ” (small, red), and a fifth label, “ Leucochrysa clepsydra Bks , type ” (large, in Banks handwriting). Banks’ “ Type 3” (a teneral female) and “ Type 4” (a teneral male) bear a fourth label: “N. Banks”.

We could not locate an “Inmbo” in Colombia; we suspect that it is a misspelling of Yumbo, a town on the outskirts of Cali, in the Valle del Cauca Department. Banks (1918) indicates that the specimen (the lectotype) was taken by A. H. Fassl. The locality “Caldras” on the paralectotypes is probably a misspelling of “Caldas”, which could refer either to an unspecified location at 4,400 feet elevation in the Caldas Department or to the Andean town of Caldas in Antioquia Department. The town of Caldas is higher than that indicated on the label [around 1,750 m (5,750 ft.) versus 1,341 m (= 4,400 ft)]. Banks (1918) states that the specimens were collected by H. S. Parish.

Diagnosis.— Leucochrysa (N.) clepsydra can be distinguished from other Nodita species by the following set of traits: head unmarked except vertex with pair of longitudinal, maroon marks; genae with reddish or maroon stripe; palpi and antennae pale throughout, except scape with reddish, longitudinal, mid-dorsal stripe (absent on some specimens); body probably green; pronotum with two pairs of reddish lateral spots (not continuous); mesoscutum with pair of reddish spots anteriorly; male with heavily sclerotized mediuncus separated from gonarcus by enlarged membrane; mediuncus with bifurcated dorsal horn, prongs of dorsal horn separated by U-shaped trough; female with subgenitale enlarged and heavily sclerotized, reproductive tract simple, spermatheca small, bursal duct straight or twisted (not coiled), spermathecal duct short, slender throughout (not enlarged basally).

Adult description.—[Measurements: head, thorax, abdomen (n=3–4), wings (n=4), genitalia (n=1 mature male, 1 mature female)]. Head: Width (including eyes) = 1.25–1.35 mm (male), 1.65–1.82 mm (female); ratio of head width to eye width = 2.06–2.73:1. Vertex raised, flat anteriorly, with flat folds posteriorly, smooth surface, no setae. Scape longer than broad (female: 0.25–0.29 mm long, 0.21–0.26 mm wide; male: 0.19 mm long, 0.15 mm wide); ratio of width of scape: distance between scapes = 0.36–0.39:1 (female), 0.25:1 (male); no long setae; lateral margin fairly straight. Flagellum (broken on all specimens) with proximal three flagellomeres short (length = 1.2–1.4 times width), with ~3 concentric rings of setae; subsequent flagellomeres longer [2.1–3.0 times width (middle), 3.1–4.5 times width (distal)], with four concentric rings of setae. Distance between scapes = 0.06–0.08 mm; distance between tentorial pits = 0.39–0.48 mm; length of frons (midway between scapes – midway between tentorial pits) = 0.32–0.38 mm. Frons slightly raised mesally; surface relatively smooth. Clypeus convex basally. Labrum with distal margin indented mesally, dorsal surface smooth, rounded; sides rounded. Gena short; ratio of genal length to distance between tentorial pits = 0.35–0.36:1.

Head coloration (based on the faded specimens and on Banks’s 1918 description): Antenna pale, unmarked, except dorsum of scape with strong, red to dark maroon, longitudinal stripe mesally (absent, probably faded, on two of the types). Vertex pale, with pair of reddish longitudinal stripes. Frons, clypeus, toruli, labrum pale; genae with distal 3/4 reddish to dark maroon dorsally and ventrally, pale mesally and basally. Palpi, labium, mentum pale.

Thorax: Cervix pale with maroon to black marks laterally, with numerous short, dark setae. Prothorax 0.62–0.65 mm long; 0.77–0.82 mm wide; ratio of length:width = 0.79–0.82:1; setae thin, long (longest 0.25– 0.33 mm), pale to golden; pronotum pale with two red to dark maroon lateral spots on each side. Mesothorax, metathorax pale with pair of dark maroon to black spots on anteromesal edge of mesoscutum. Claws simple, with large quadrate base.

Wings ( Fig. 1 ): Forewing 16.7–19.6 mm long, 5.7–6.6 mm wide (midwing); ratio of length:maximum width = 2.8–3.1. Costal area relatively narrow, longest costal veinlet (#7, #8) 1.4–1.5 mm long, 1.0–1.4 times width of distal adjacent cell, 0.23–0.24 times width of wing (midwing). First intramedian cell ovate, 0.5–0.6 width of third median cell (m3). First radial crossvein (r–m1) distal to origin of radial sector (Rs); radial area (between Radius and Rs) with single row of 15–16 closed cells; tallest cell (#7, #8) 1.9–2.3 times taller than wide. No veins crassate except slight swelling at furcation of Cu (male and female); 5–6 b cells; distal b cell 0.4–0.7 times wider than tall. First two cells beneath Rs, free of pseudomedia (= seventh, eighth, and ninth cells beneath Rs) 2.9–3.4 times taller than wide. Two series of gradate veins; 7–8 inner gradates, 9 outer gradates; second to fourth cells bounded by gradates 3.0–4.1 times taller than wide. Six b’ cells; last b’ cell 0.5 times taller than wide. Three intracubital cells (two closed); first cubital crossvein located basal to second mediocubital crossvein; first and second intracubital cells of similar lengths; both shorter than third. Vein 1A forked. Membrane clear; stigma slightly opaque. Veins largely discolored, originally described as green, marked with black on gradates, marginal forks, parts of costals, radials, branches of Rs, and origin of Rs.

Hindwing 14.9–17.1 mm long, 4.6–5.3 mm wide. Two series of gradate veins; 6–7 inner, 8 outer; 13–14 radial cells (counted from origin of Radius, not false origin). Five b cells (including small b1 cell); five b’ cells beyond second intramedian cell; two intracubital cells (one closed). Membrane clear, with stigma slightly opaque to light brown (originally described as distinct). Veins discolored, originally described as green, with gradates not dark, marginal forks partly dark, marginal vein dark distally.

Abdomen: Color largely faded. Sternites (cleared specimens) slightly taller than long (lateral view), with setae medium length, slender; microsetae sparse. Tergites rounded anteriorly and posteriorly, with slightly heavier, denser setae than on sternites. Spiracles oval externally, simple, unilobed; atria not enlarged.

Male ( Figs. 2 , 3 ): Callus cerci oval, 0.16–0.29 mm diameter (range), with 33 thin trichobothria (0.04–0.15 mm long). Sternites 3–8 with dense microtholi (none on S1 or S2). Dorsum of T9+ectoproct truncate distally, fused mesally, without deep cleft at midline, with distal setae slightly more dense than elsewhere; ventral section of T9+ectoproct with rounded proximal extension reaching full length of T8, proximal margin well sclerotized. Dorsal apodeme heavy, extending distally from base of segment, forming a loop around callus cerci. S8 and S9 fused, although clearly distinct, without suture; S9 about 5/8 length of S8, without microtholi; S8+9 (lateral view) triangular in shape, with dorsal surface slightly convex. Setae on S9 longer, more robust, stemming from slightly heavier bases than those on S8; terminus of S9 with small invaginated, membranous pouch, no gonocristae. Gonarcus arcuate; gonarcal apodemes greatly expanded, with sculptured appearance; gonarcal bridge broad, with elongate gonocornua. Gonocornua stout basally, tapering distally, terminating in acute apex curved inward; apex of each with dorsal patch of microsetae. Mediuncus well sclerotized, attached to gonarcus via large, bulbous membrane; base of mediuncus shield-like, with broad, neck-like dorsal extension terminating in pair of fork-like projections; with pair of cylindrical extensions and gonosaccus below; ventral surface of gonosaccus with ~18 short setae arising from chalazae; gonosaccus large, delicate posteriorly. Entoprocessus, tignum, gonapsis, pseudopenis, spinellae, gonocristae absent. Hypandrium internum apparently lost or undiscernable on both male specimens.

Female ( Figs. 4, 5 ): Callus cerci almost circular, 0.14–0.17 mm diameter, with 28 thin trichobothria of variable size (0.05–0.18 mm long). Tergite 8 cap-like (lateral view), similar in depth to T7, T6. Tergite 9+ectoproct elongate, distal (dorsal) margin slightly convex, acute distoventrally, extending slightly below gonapophyses laterales. Sternite 7 roughly quadrate, acute distally; terminus unmodified, with long setae. Gonapophysis lateralis elongate, rounded dorsally, quadrate ventrally, with relatively dense, long, regularly spaced setae; inner membranous surface expandable, with two to three rows of setae. Colleterial gland large, extending well into A6, with bulbous reservoir entirely within T9+ectoproct; duct between gland and reservoir relatively narrow. Transverse sclerification well hardened, flat, platform-like (lateral view), tapering laterally, with long, fine longitudinal striations. Bursa copulatrix membranous, with loose longitudinal folds, triangular with apex of triangle extending anteriorly into A7, distal (anterior) end tapering to membranous duct that recurves and meanders posteriorly to spermatheca within subgenitale, opening to spermatheca via long slit along dorsal surface of spermathecal velum. Pair of large, bulbous bursal glands extending laterally from base (posterodorsal surface) of bursa. Spermatheca small, round, doughnut shaped (~7% length of T9+ect), with mesal invagination extending entire depth. Spermathecal velum tubular basally, broadly folded, melding with bursal duct distally, smooth-walled, clear throughout. Spermathecal duct short, ~ 2x diameter of spermatheca (hidden within subgenitale), slender throughout, attached to dorsal margin of spermatheca, with U-shaped curve and two distal bends before terminus; terminus near spermatheca; glandular setae on terminal section extending ca. one-fifth length of entire duct. Subgenitale large, extending well beyond lower margin of T9+ectoproct; base heavy, well sclerotized, with dense transverse folding throughout, ventrally with small membranous fold into S7; without setae. Distal section of subgenitale elongate; terminus with small, shallow sclerotized lobes and shallow depression; elongate, cylindrical protuberance extending ventrally; membrane above lobes with small, crescent-shaped, very lightly sclerotized lamellae.

Variation.—It is noteworthy that the four adult specimens of this species, including the three from one locality, show considerable variation in size (e.g., wing length among the four specimens varies by 3 mm, ~12% of the wing length).

Adult specimens examined.— Type material only.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Leucochrysa (Nodita) clepsydra, forewing (top), hindwing (bottom). Abbreviations: b #, upper Banksian cells; b’ #, lower Banksian cells; icu #, intracubital cells; ig, inner gradate veins; im #, intramedian cells; ma, median arculus; m-cu 2, second m-cu crossvein (between the Media and Cubitus); m 3, third medial cell; og, outer gradate veins; Psm, pseudomedia; R, Radius; Rs, radial sector; r 1, first radial cell; r-m 1, first crossvein between Rs and Media; 1 A, first anal vein; 2, 3, second and third cells bounded by gradates; 7, 8, seventh and eighth cells beneath Rs (= first two cells beneath Rs, free of Psm).

FIGURE 2. Leucochrysa (Nodita) clepsydra, male terminal abdominal segments, lateral. Abbreviations: cc, callus cerci; da, dorsal apodeme; pouch, membranous pouch above tip of S 8 + 9; S 8 + 9, fused eighth and ninth sternites; T 8, eighth tergite; T 9 + ect, fused ninth tergite and ectoproct. Hypandrium internum missing from both male specimens that we studied.

FIGURE 3. Leucochrysa (Nodita) clepsydra, gonarcal complex. A, lateral; B, dorsal. Abbreviations: dh, dorsal horn; gb, gonarcal bridge; gc, gonocornu; gs, gonarcus (lateral apodeme); gsac, gonosaccus; gse, gonosetae; memb, membrane between gonarcus and mediuncus; mu, mediuncus.

FIGURE 5. Leucochrysa (Nodita) clepsydra, female. A, spermathecal complex, ventral; B, subgenitale, ventro-lateroventral. Abbreviations: base, base of subgenitale; bc, bursa copulatrix; bd, bursal duct; bg, bursal gland; inv, spermathecal invagination; lobe, lobe of subgenitale; pr, ventrally projecting process on neck of subgenitale; sd, spermathecal duct; sp, spermatheca; T 8, ventral surface of eighth tergite.